Former President Trump addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he suggested that he could win up to half of the Jewish vote in the 2024 election. Trump criticized Jewish Americans who do not support him in his showdown with Vice President Kamala Harris and claimed, without evidence, that Israel would cease to exist if Harris won the White House in the upcoming election. Trump’s address came shortly after the recovery of the bodies of six Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during an attack last October, which sparked an eleven-month-long war in Gaza.
In response to Trump’s comments, the Harris campaign pointed to the former president’s past criticism of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu as evidence that Trump would turn on Israel if it suited his personal interests. The Vice President has been a lifelong supporter of the State of Israel as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people, according to Harris national security spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein. President Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu has also grown strained during the current war, with Biden expressing dissatisfaction with the Israeli leader’s efforts to negotiate a hostage deal with Hamas.
Trump has repeatedly expressed confusion over how Jewish Americans could vote for Democrats and has accused the party of being hostile towards Israel and Jewish people. While Republicans generally support Israel, many progressives within the Democratic Party have criticized Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and civilian casualties. Republican Jewish Coalition board member Ari Fleischer highlighted the increasing Jewish support for GOP presidential candidates over the years, with former President George W. Bush winning 25% of the Jewish vote in his 2004 re-election and Trump winning approximately 30% in 2020. Fleischer suggested that Jewish voters may be more inclined to consider voting Republican in the current election due to global events and issues affecting American Jewry.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has ramped up its data operations to target Jewish voters in key battleground states ahead of the 2024 election. CEO Matt Brooks stated that the organization has built a significant voter file of Jewish voters and has invested millions of dollars in digital and TV ads, direct mail, phone calls, door knocking, and other canvassing efforts to mobilize Jewish voters to support Republican candidates. Trump was introduced at the meeting by Miriam Adelson, a billionaire casino magnate and Republican megadonor who called him “our best friend” and expressed anticipation for his return to the White House to “save the Jewish people.” Adelson and her late husband Sheldon were major backers of the Republican Jewish Coalition, and she is currently supporting a super PAC that backs Trump’s candidacy in the 2024 election.
Overall, the 2024 election campaign has seen a focus on Jewish American voters, with Trump aiming to capture a significant portion of the Jewish vote by criticizing his opponents and reiterating his support for Israel. The Harris campaign has highlighted the Vice President’s longstanding support for Israel while criticizing Trump’s past actions and statements. With tensions in the Middle East and domestic issues impacting American Jewry, the Republican Jewish Coalition has intensified its efforts to mobilize Jewish voters and secure support for the GOP in key battleground states. As the campaign progresses, the Jewish vote may play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2024 election.
